Doctor’s strike: Dock Health Minister’s pay for failure to settle strikes

EMBARGO: Immediate Release

The Liberal Democrats have called on Secretary of State for Health Steve Barclay and all other Health Ministers to have their pay docked for their failure to negotiate with striking junior doctors. 

Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper is calling for Parliament to be recalled so that Steve Barclay can be held accountable for refusing to speak to junior doctors. She has said that Ministers are “risking the safety” of millions of patients across the country affected by the strikes. 

The party is now planning to table a motion calling for Health Ministers pay to be suspended until there is a clear resolution to the junior doctors strike. 

It comes on the second day of strike action while Parliament remains in recess. The NHS Confederation, which represents hospital trusts, says waiting lists are also going to be affected as a result of postponing "hundreds of thousands of appointments" due to the strikes.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and Health Spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP said: 

“The Conservative Government is risking the safety of millions of patients right across the country by refusing to negotiate with junior doctors and bring an end to the strikes. 

"Steve Barclay and his Ministerial team should have their pay suspended until they resolve these strikes. 

“At the elections in May, the choice is clear: out of touch Conservative Ministers who are happy to see our NHS on its knees or Liberal Democrats who will always stand up for our local health services.”

ENDS 

Notes to Editors:

Copy of Parliamentary motion calling on the docking of Ministers pay to be tabled by the Liberal Democrats can be found below: 

That this House censures the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the Right Honourable Member for North East Cambridgeshire, and all other Ministers in the Department of Health and Social Care, for putting patients at risk by failing to negotiate with junior doctors and prevent the strikes taking place this week; calls on them to begin good-faith talks immediately to resolve the dispute fairly and end the strikes; and resolves that all Ministerial salaries for the Department of Health and Social Care should be suspended until a resolution has been achieved.